Cycles
by Maraya Prower
Summary: It's been over three thousand years since the King of Evil invaded the Sacred Realm and nearly destroyed Hyrule-at least for Link and Zelda. But the effects of that invasion changed the life of a young girl in a way she never expected. When her actions restart the cycle, her greatest wish comes true, but at a price-she has to help set things right.
1. Destiny

**This is my first official fanfiction, so I'm slightly nervous about putting this out there. I have been editing and editing this for a while, so it's a bit on the shorter side. I will work on the length as I go along.**

**This story is mainly AU based, so many of the characters will be added as time goes on. However, some parts are strictly OoT, so they will only contain that set of characters. The chapters, for a while, will go back and forth between the two. Don't worry, it'll all make sense later.  
**

**Alright, here goes!**

* * *

Mother had always told me that leaving these woods was dangerous. That I had know way of knowing exactly who or what I may come across outside. But for as long as I could remember, I'd been climbing trees in the Lost Woods to peek outside. Today was no exception. The field looked so green and beautiful. The castle in the far distance looked so white and alone, but so tall. Tall enough to rival the height of Death Mountain, at least in my eyes. And then there was the castle town and the market. It always looked so busy. Day and night, people came and went, buzzing around like bees in their hives. It was fascinating. I hoped to go there one day, but how could I go when no other Kokiri wanted to leave the forest? Especially that Mido.

There was one boy who had promised to take me. My friend, Link. He told me be patient, and one day we could go there together. Mother trusted him, and she liked him. Maybe some day soon-

"Izme! Izme!" I looked down to see my mother and our fairies searching for me through the leaves.

"Up here, Mother!"

"Hurry up and get down here! I need to take you home and find your brothers. Quickly!"

I climbed down from my perch, dropped the last few feet, then dusted myself off. "What's going on, Mother?"

"Just hurry! I don't have time to explain!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me through the forest. We stopped by our tree house. I climbed the ladder, then looked out and watched my mother disappear through the trees. She should know better than that. At 10, there was no way I was gonna stay put.

"Izme, you were looking outside again, weren't you?" Jenai, my fairy, asked. I nodded. "What is it about the outside world that you find so interesting?"

"Everything. There's so much to do and to see, places to visit...things to explore and see that I can't here."

Jenai looked at me, then smiled. "The Deku Tree told me once that the child I was going to watch over was going to be special. Different from the other Kokiri children." She paused for a moment. "Maybe you're meant for something outside this forest, just like another Kokiri we know."

"Jenai, I want to go and find out what's happening."

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

* * *

We started walking and ended up in the clearing by the entrance to the forest. I wandered around for a while, then jumped and dashed behind a tree when I heard yelling.

"...How could you do something like that? It's all your fault!"

I recognized the voice instantly, so I ran to the entrance of the forest and hid just behind the last tree in the clearing. Jenai flew over and into my shoulder pouch.

Link and Mido stood by the gate. Mido was obviously upset, close to tears. "The Great Deku Tree is dead because of you! Why?" Link just stared at him. Mido ran away, red-faced and angry. I wanted to go and comfort Link, but what Mido had said kept me there. The Great Deku Tree, dead? And Link was the reason why? I didn't want to believe it. I wouldn't believe it. Link was my friend. Mido had to be lying.

All the same, I couldn't convince myself to leave my hiding spot. Then Link turned to leave and I panicked. I took only a couple of steps before a voice stopped both of us.

"Link?" Saria ran to him. "You're leaving, aren't you?" Link nodded. "I knew that you would someday. You...you're...different from me and my friends..." I could tell Saria was trying not to cry. "But that's okay...because...because you and I..." Her voice broke. "...we'll be friends. Forever. Won't we?" She was crying now. "I want you...to have...this. My ocarina. Please...take good care of it...for me..." She slowly began to back away. "Whenever you play it...I...I hope you'll remember me...and maybe come back...to see me someday..."

She turned to run, but Link grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a hug. "I will be back. Someday." He gave her one last squeeze then let go. "But I can't stay here. The Deku Tree...he said I had something important to do." Saria didn't turn around. "You take care of yourself." Link looked up, and my eyes went to where he was looking. In the distance, Mido was telling anyone who would listen what he thought had happened. "I have to go." Link dashed through the trees and across the bridge to whatever was outside the forest.

Kokiri were beginning to gather around Saria now.

"Where'd he go?"

"Will he be back?"

"Of course he will!"

"The outside world is too dangerous for Kokiri!"

"Kokiri can't leave the forest!"

"But he was never one of us!" Mido yelled. "He never had a fairy! The Great Tree knew he wasn't one of us! You are all forgetting that! And for doing what he did, we should forget he was ever here with us!" That was it for me. I was not going to stay here and listen to him say things like that about Link. As he continued to speak, I edged out of my hiding space and crawled behind the thick bushes at the edge of the forest.

"Izme!" The voice, my mother's voice, was panicked. "Izme!" I looked back and saw my mother, as well as some of the other Kokiri, break away from the group to look for me. Mido started shouting louder, this time about me. "She's probably gone to help him! Let her! If she wants to abandon us, then we should do the same. To her as well as that murderer, Link!"

I stopped behind the trees leading out of the forest. The shouting, both from Mido and the people looking for me, seemed to get louder with each second. "Izme!" I looked out into the still darkness of the forest. Something felt final about it. Like if I left, I wouldn't be coming back. Images of my family, of the Deku Tree, of Mido, of Saria, of Link, of the forest, of everything I knew flooded my mind. But I couldn't turn back. Something out there was calling me. Maybe Jenai was right. I was supposed to go. There was something out there I needed to do. I turned and ran through the brush, following Link. "Izme!"

_Goodbye, Mother._ I wiped away tears as I ran away from her voice.

_Goodbye._

* * *

**Well, I hope that that wasn't too bad...  
**

**Please review and let me know what you thought! Constructive criticism is definitely appreciated!  
**

**Until next chapter!  
Rya Prower  
**


	2. Meanings

**Alright, here we go!**

**First off, thank you for my first reviews. I can now officially say I'm one of those authors who gets excited for two reviews! Woot!**

**Guest-Thanks! I know it was pretty short. Trust me though, the next few chapters will be pretty long. I've got quite a bit to cover and I want to get to the meat of the story withing a reasonable amount of chapters! :)**

**BlackSandHeart-Your feedback really makes me happy! I'm glad you're enjoying it thus far! And yeah, I wish she could stay and that Mido would shut up. To bad Mido never will! :P**

**Songbird's Spirit-I'm glad you like it! And thanks for the tips! :D As for the summary, my brain is still trying to recover! :P**

**Okay, let's get this show on the road! By the way, I forgot something very important last chapter. I don't own **_Legend of Zelda_** or any of the characters therein. I do, however, own Izme, Jenai, and a few other assorted characters who will come in in the future!**

**Now you can read! Go on! ;)**

* * *

Link's door swung open and slammed against the wall, shocking him awake. In a flash, he was out of bed and down the hall. He just managed to grab the laughing Aryll before she made it to the stairs.

"Morning, Link! I thought it was time for you to get up, but you didn't wake up, so I thought I'd come and get you!" She smiled innocently. "I did the reasonable thing. Dark just told me to dump a bucket of ice on you. He had it all filled up and ready in case this didn't work. I guess you're lucky that it did! You do know you have work this morning?"

"You know, when you get to high school, its _supposed_ to be the upperclassmen messing with the lowly freshmen, not the other way around. And yes, I was completely aware that I have work today. But not until the evening shift."

"Well, since you're up now, you can stay up! And as for the freshman bit, I got lucky! I have an older brother who's not only fun to mess with, but also who wouldn't be able to come up with a decent prank or get revenge if he thought about it all his life!" Aryll teased. "Now put me down and get ready to go. Zelda's here now. She came over about fifteen minutes ago. According to her, you have..." she looked at her watch. "...about ten minutes to get downstairs, or, and I quote, she'll get you ready with the hose out back and the ice." Aryll looked up. "Man, she's got you on a leash!" She smirked. "Think you can manage without me holding your hand?"

Link deliberately looked down the stairs. "Aryll, if you'd look down for a moment, you'd notice how far down the first floor is and how, maybe, you'd wanna rethink some of your comments..." Aryll screamed and started trying to wriggle away. "See? Another wonderful example of the power of persuasion."

"Do I have to come up there?" Zelda yelled.

"Yes!" Aryll screamed back. "Link is trying to kill me!"

"Again?"

"I'm her brother! I'm just doing what brothers do!"

"Well, if you don't hurry up and get ready, I'm going to go without you. And I won't be able to get my coffee." Zelda walked around the corner and to the bottom of the staircase. "And then I'll have to kill you, because I need caffeine. Come on! We have to go soon!"

"Wait, where are we going?" Link asked.

"We have to go get ready for Colin's party!"

"What?"

Zelda glared at him. Immediately, Link let go of Aryll and ran down the hallway, leaving Aryll standing at the top of the stairs looking amused. Zelda laughed. "Come on, Aryll. Dark and I finished making breakfast." Zelda started walking back to the kitchen. Aryll grabbed her bag and ran downstairs, tapping Zelda on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Hey, Zelda? Before we go in there, I wanna know who made what. Because if Dark made it, I'm pretty sure it's not completely safe to eat."

Both girls laughed.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Dark, Aryll, Link and Zelda sat at the Tellins' kitchen table. For as long as any of them could remember, Zelda had been coming over to hang out on Saturdays. Mr. and Mrs. Tellin, Link and Aryll's parents, and Dark's aunt and uncle, were normally off on business trips. Zelda would come over, make breakfast, and then was usually able to convince Link to do something outside of his house, though it was normally a fight to get Link away from his computer for any length of time.

Aryll, even on the weekends, only wanted to talk about school. Link regularly teased her and Zelda quite a bit about being as absorbed in their school work as he was in his video games. However, as Zelda often reminded him, there was no doubt that Aryll was by far the smartest of the Tellin family.

"So...what did you write your paper about?" Aryll asked.

"Huh?"

"Your history paper? What was it about?"

"The Triforce. Same as every year. I swear, I've done so much research on it that I could be a sage. And it's not like it's even all that important anymore. No one has ever seen it. I doubt anyone ever will."

"You know, it's times like this that make me grateful I live across the street from you. I trust the Goddess' aim, but you can never be too careful." Link interjected.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Still the comedian, I see." Link laughed. "I think they'll forgive it."

"I don't know..."

"You know, I feel like I should keep talking. You have to be by me most of today, and I would feel so much better about being smote if I knew the Goddesses got you, too."

Aryll nearly choked on her juice. When she was finished coughing, she clasped her hands together, looked up at the ceiling, and loudly whispered, "Please. Him first."

"Hey!" Link put a hand on his heart dramatically. "To think, my own sister would want me killed while I was with her! And first, no less!" He pouted. "She'd probably laugh over my ashes until her lightning bolt came down. And would I be there to see my prediction come true?"

"Nope." Aryll replied. "But on the plus side, Dark and I can rummage through your stuff and decide what's worth keeping."

"Ouch, Aryll. I am your brother."

"Okay, we have to decide what to keep? Here you go. Anything that has his name or picture on it..." Dark began.

"See, Aryll, he's a nice guy. You should take a lesson from him."

"...we burn it. Everything else is fair game."

Link's mouth fell open. Aryll started laughing, as well as Zelda, who almost fell out of her chair. Dark waited for their laughter to die down, then shrugged. "Honesty is always the best policy, right? Why would I lie to you to make you feel better? A real friend is honest. So I told you the truth." He got up. "Okay, I gotta get to work. See you guys later." He grabbed his coat and left.

The pair finally left the house after helping Aryll clean the kitchen. Just as they began to walk to Link's car, though, Zelda looked up and spotted one of her neighbors.

"Morning, Mr. Dragmire!"

"Oh, Link, Zellie! How are you?"

"Pretty good! We're going to get ready for the party! Will you be there?"

"I'm afraid not. I'd really like to be there, but I'm going to visit my daughters today."

"How are Koume and Kotake?"

"Well, they're enjoying college. Personally, I don't understand why they'd live on campus instead of here; the college is less than a mile away."

"I think that is has something to do with the whole 'college experience' thing." Link yelled back. "I plan to go hours away so that I can call and harass Aryll without being afraid of her revenge."

"If that's truly your goal, Link, then maybe you should consider the moon." Mr. Dragmire joked. "Aryll will find you anywhere else."

"Right you are, sir! She is to be feared."

"Okay, we really have to go now. Bye, Mr. Dragmire!"

"Goodbye, you two! I'll be over later to drop off my gift."

* * *

Zelda and Link pulled into Zelda's driveway a half-hour later, the car filled to the brim with party supplies.

"There you are! I was really getting worried!" Malon came up to Link and grabbed his arm, ignoring Zelda. "What happened?" She asked as she pulled him to Zelda's back patio.

"Zelda and I stopped by a party store. You know, to get balloons and streamers and such?"

"Oh, yeah, the party." Malon giggled. "I think it's so sweet that you planned this party for Colin. He'll be so happy!"

Saria stood up. "Actually, the party was Zel's idea. You know, Colin being her brother...and all..." She trailed off as Malon glared at her.

Zelda laughed, hearing Malon as she walked around the garage. "Whoever had the idea first, I want this to be the best party he's ever had! He'll be so glad that all of you are there!" She looked at the group that sat together. Malon, of course, sat as close to Link as possible-practically in his lap. Saria and Shad, the undisputed geniuses of the troop, went back to their debate over the contents of a few Hylian history works that sat open on the picnic table. Mido and Midna were on their way, and were bringing Darunia. Nabooru, easily the prettiest, sat discussing makeup technique with Ruto. Ralis looked up and saw her, and she giggled at the look of relief that spread across his face. He quickly got up and went to sit by her.

"If you ever, and I do mean ever, see me sitting next to them again with that look on my face..." he pointed to the garage, "...go in there, get a bat, and put me out of my misery. There's only so much lip gloss discussion a guy can take."

Zelda laughed again. "I'll try to remember. Hey, there's Mido, Midna, and Darunia. We can start getting things ready now. Colin will be home in a little while, so we have to get busy."

"Zellie?"

"Oh, hi, Impa, Dad. We're just gonna get started."

"Perfect. We brought you a little extra help. Your father, myself..."

"...and me."

"Uncle Rauru!" Zelda ran over and hugged him. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Well, I wanted to come and see you, but when your mother told me you were throwing a party for Colin, I decided to help."

"That's great! We need all the hands we can get!"

Midna came over. "Nice to meet you. I'm Midna, and this is Mido and Darunia."

One by one, everyone introduced themselves, and then everyone got to work.

* * *

Zelda was in the kitchen, finishing arranging the last of the party food on the table, when she heard a knock on the door. Her mother answered.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Dragmire. You can put that in the kitchen."

"Thank you." He walked in. "Hello, Zellie. How's it coming?"

She sighed. "Pretty good, but it's a lot of work."

"Mmm."

They sat quietly for a couple of minutes. Zelda got up awkwardly and went into the living room. Mr. Dragmire also got up, and went over to help her hang streamers. "You're acting a little strange, Zelda. What's wrong?"

"Well, I was having a conversation with someone about, well..." she hesitated. "...about the Triforce. It's just that...every year...we study the Triforce in so much detail, but no one has seen it, and I'm beginning to doubt anyone will. But lately..."

"It's okay. Nothing you say will leave this room."

She took a deep breath. "Lately I can't get it out of my mind. I get this feeling, like something big is gonna happen. You know, a dream that shows people I know...and people I don't know, together...or seeing symbols or relics in weird places, and when I go to look at them again, they're gone...and I can't convince myself that they weren't there...but I can't convince myself that they were...or that it even meant anything..."

Mr. Dragmire finished hanging the last streamer. "Well, Zellie, you never know what the Goddesses have planned. Consider it safe to say that you may be seeing something that the rest of us obviously won't or can't. Possibly even shouldn't." He started to leave. "Don't doubt yourself, though. You've always had a great deal of foresight and wisdom. Perhaps, just maybe, there is a greater meaning to all this. In history, not everything is how it looks. Don't let it worry you. I believe you'll figure it out." He smiled. "And that, I believe, is the garage door. Looks like the guest of honor is here." He waved. "Goodbye, Zelda."

* * *

"Aw, come on, mom, it's my birthday. Why do I have to go ALL the way downstairs to get popsicles for you?"

"Because you love me. And because I told you to."

Colin's grumbling was audible as he clomped down the stairs. He pulled the light string and turned the corner to the freezer.

"SURPRISE!"

* * *

**Definitely longer. This chapter was mostly a get-to-know-the-characters kind of deal. Trust me though, there were a couple of very important pieces in here. I apologize for the heavy Ocarina of Time references...I haven't played much of Twilight Princess yet.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought!**

**'Til next chapter,  
Rya Prower**


	3. Learning

**Sorry it took so long for me to update, there is still quite a bit to cover for Izme's story and according to my timeline, I'm not anywhere near close. So there's a ton here. That should make up for my lateness.**

**I don't own Legend of Zelda.  
**

**Thank you to BlackSandHeart for reviewing! Okay, on to the story!  
**

* * *

I don't know exactly what happened, but it took forever for Jenai and I to get anywhere close to the edge of the forest. A days' worth of walking seemed to get us nowhere, and the brush was so dense it wore out my tiny hunting knife. I tossed it aside and kept pushing through the thick shrubs. Hours passed, and the trees still blocked our vision in every direction. Finally I found a tree that I was able to climb, and figured out that we'd been going far off to the west. If we went as straight northeast as was possible, we would be there in an hour or so.

Sure enough, within a few minutes of sundown, I was at the edge of a large, empty field. It was almost totally dark, but in the fading light of the sunset, I could faintly see the castle and the gates of the town. Link, however, was nowhere in sight. I stayed in the shadows for another few seconds, then began running towards the gates. The sun seemed to sink faster as I ran, and soon, the entire field was covered in shadows. The gates of the town in the distance began to close, and I stumbled and nearly fell at the edge of the bridge just as the gates closed with a thud. I couldn't believe my eyes. From where I'd sat in the woods, I'd never seen the gates closed. Ever. With all the soldiers inside, the townspeople should have nothing to fear. Now where was I going to go?

Jenai flew out of my satchel and looked around. "Izme, I'm afraid that you can't go any farther tonight. Dangerous, strange, evil creatures roam this field at night, and you would make an easy target."

"But is it any safer here than out there in the rest of the field? The moon hasn't come out yet. I can't see anything. That doesn't mean that whatever may be out there can't see me."

Jenai sighed. "You're right." She thought about something for a moment, then pointed somewhere off to the right. "I have heard of a village across the river where the Sheikah live. If your destiny is truly something great, they will be able to tell and help you. Until the moon comes out, though, it might not be a good decision to leave this spot."

"I don't think we'll be in danger. We'll stay close to the river, and I'm sure nothing will happen." I placed my hand on the gates. _So close...I was almost there..._

Jenai and I slowly made our way to another bridge leading east. As we started going across, the clouds covering the field parted, and the moon appeared, covering everything in a bright, silver glow. Through the trees , I could see a set of stairs carved out of the base of the mountain. "That's it! That is the path that leads to the village!"Jenai said excitedly.

I began running towards the steps as fast as I could. "Izme, be careful! You've been lucky thus far..." Her voice trailed off as I ran faster. The stairs were only a few feet away.

Suddenly, a large cloud of black smoke oozed from the ground. Out of the darkness, I could see something rising and taking shape. I looked up as the smoke disappeared back into the ground..

In front of me stood a giant skeleton. Its bones seemed to absorb the moonlight, turning it a dark, dingy grey. Long, thin fingers connected to blood-red claws that tapered to razor sharp points. But it was its glowing eyes that scared me the most. And they became more terrifying as it turned and fixed them on me, while raising its claws to attack.

I screamed.

"HYAAA!" A small figure flashed by from out of the darkness and attacked the monster. Jenai flew past me. "Quickly, Izme. To the trees." We ran for the trees and quickly climbed one, hiding in the darkness of the leaves. I watched the two silhouettes battle, until finally the skeleton fell on the ground.

In the silver light, I saw him look around, searching for Jenai and I. From this far away, it was hard to tell, but as he wandered closer to the trees, I could see him clearer. And he was wearing the green outfit of a Kokiri. So it was him! "Link!" I scrambled town the tree and ran straight towards him, but stopped just a few feet away. Even though I wanted more than anything to hug him, I knew that he didn't like what he called "emotional displays". I guess that didn't seem to matter to him this once, though, because he came over and gave me a hug himself.

"Izme, what are you doing out here?"

"You left without even coming to say goodbye to me. To anyone. You let Mido run you off. And you forgot your promise to me...I know it was a small thing...but...you were the only person who'd never broken a single promise to me...and you wouldn't unless it was really important, so I decided that I wanted to go with you."

He sighed. "I'm not sure it's a good plan for you to come with me. I'll need to go back to the forest...soon, in fact. I'll probably be able to bring you back with me then."

_I won't go back, Link... _"What are you doing out here, anyway? And why did you leave?"

"The Deku Tree told me that I have to go and see the princess. I didn't know what was out here or where to go at first, so I wandered around for a while. Night came on really fast. As I wandered around, I found a ton of those skeleton things. They seem to be the only thing around here now. And as you can see, the gates are closed tonight. So we all will have to wait until morning to go any farther."

"Link, that will be hours. You will need rest to be able to begin your tasks," Jenai stated, "and this path leads to a village of the Sheikah. They will be able to help you and Izme to prepare for your journey."

"Me and Izme? I think that it's best if she stay behind and wait for me to come get her and take her back. Did you think that you two were coming with me? The Deku Tree entrusted this to me specifically. Besides, it's too dangerous for her to be out here alone."

"She won't be alone. She's with you. And don't think for one second that you are the only being deserving of your own destiny. Izme has her own path that she must follow. The Great Tree told me that Izme was a child who would be different from the other Kokiri, much like you-that she would have her own special role in the future of Hyrule. I have no idea what that is. I cannot see the future. But I do know this. There will come a time when I can no longer offer her guidance, or accompany her. Perhaps, then, only you will be able to protect her. But when that time comes, you must be able and willing to take that responsibility. How much hope can we have in you when you refuse to do so even when the danger and risk are small?"

Link was looking at the ground, a mixture of shame, embarrassment, and a little anger clouding his face. He thought for a few minutes, then suddenly smiled. "Alright. I have no problem with her coming with me on my journey-where she can. I promise to escort you wherever you're supposed to go when she can't come with me. But you'll have to stick close by. We'll visit the village in a couple of days. The Great Deku Tree told me to get to the princess as quickly as possible. If it wasn't important, He wouldn't have told me to find her."

I saw Jenai wasn't too happy about that. "It's fine, Jenai." I turned to Link. "I've looked at the castle from the Lost Woods for so long, I know that there's no way I'll be able to follow you inside or help you to find the princess. I'll just slow you down. With all the guards there, that wouldn't be a good thing. But I'm more than okay with staying behind. I've always wanted to go and see the castle town. This is the perfect opportunity!"_And if Jenai is right, I may not have another chance to see it..._

"You're right. But so is Jenai. You won't be able to do anything either if you don't rest now."

"That's an easy problem to solve. We're Kokiri. Our homes are the trees. Sleeping in one tonight will provide us with a safe place to rest, and we're used to it." I walked to the base of one. "This one is perfect. The branches and leaves are so thick, we can't fall."

"I guess it's settled, then. We'll stay here until dawn."

* * *

_A woman dressed in purple stood in front of me. I didn't know who she was, but her being there filled me with fear. Whatever she'd just told me was terrible news. She put her hand on my head, calming me._

"_You have lost much, but you will gain much."_

_What? I didn't even know who she was. I tried to ask, but I couldn't speak._

"_You have been chosen. Your destiny lies with the Special Ones of the Golden."_

_I was chosen? I couldn't understand what she was trying to tell me._

"_You will see and hear that which others cannot, and your inner strength will prove a great help to those who need you." She started fading away. "We will meet again, young one..."_

* * *

We woke early the next morning, and started walking towards the gates of the castle town. The sky was a beautiful mix of purples and blues, and the town in front of the rising sun still lay quiet in the shadow of the castle. I laughed once we reached the edge of the bridge, because as soon as I touched the first cobblestone, the gates started moving, just like last night.

Both Jenai and Link could tell I was really, really excited about finally going to see the city. We stopped in the guardhouse for a moment so that we could get maps of the town and plan out when and where we wanted to meet. As Jenai and Link talked, I wandered over to one of the pots around the room, and looked inside. Something flashed at the bottom of the pot, and I tried to reach inside to grab it. My fingers brushed it, but the neck of the bottle kept me from being able to reach it. I pulled out my hand and turned it upside down, but couldn't shake it out.

"You know, it might just be easier to smash it."

I turned to see one of the soldiers standing behind me. "I didn't want to break it; I just wanted to see what is inside it."

"Oh, go on, smash it. No one's touched these pots in forever. I don't even know why they're here."

"Okay. But if anyone asks, you told me to." He chuckled as I raised the pot, then slammed it against the floor. With a smash, the pot shattered, and I gingerly brushed away the shards to reveal a sparkling green gem.

The soldier seemed a bit surprised. "Well, would you look at that?"

"Iz!" Link rushed over and grabbed my arm, pulling me up and away from the broken pot. "I'm sorry, she shouldn't have-"

"No problem," the soldier replied. "I told her to." He shrugged. "I've got no use for them. Or for the gems inside. Matter of fact, you'd probably be doing me a favor by smashing them. All they do is get in everyone's way. The sweeping won't take but a minute, and it's high time one of the women around here had something to do to bring a little money in. Not everyone here is fortunate enough to live comfortably."

I held the gem in my hands. "What is this?"

He stared at me. "First time to the city, huh?"

"I've never been anywhere outside of the forest before."

"That is a rupee. It's the currency here. You can't do much without them, so unless you have some with you, it's fortunate you came here first. You're welcome to smash as many pots as you'd like. If you think that there's more in them, that is."

He was more correct than he even knew. In all the time I'd spent watching the city, I'd never learned anything about rupees, or anything else about life here. Maybe coming here wasn't the best idea I'd ever had.

Link could tell I wasn't okay. "Iz, if you break the pots, you can probably find a little more. I didn't think about it before, but now that I am, you've never been to the store in the forest before, huh?" I shook my head. "That's alright. Your mother probably wanted you to have as much free time to explore the forest as possible. Think of this trip as a learning experience. You know pretty much everything about the forest, and Saria's taught you everything she knows about music. Now you're learning about the city. This could be more useful than you think."

I figured he was right, and I broke all but one of the pots, managing to find thirty rupees. The soldier looked a bit worried at the amount, but I was sure that I'd be fine with that much. It was more than I'd ever held before. I was going to smash the last pot, when I noticed there was something different about what was inside. I turned it upside down, and a small, heart-shaped vial filled with a red liquid fell out into my hand. I put it in my pouch.

The soldier bumped into me. "Oops, sorry!" He stood back. "You all enjoy the town!"

We walked outside, and I heard the door close and lock behind us. Odd."Alright, I think it's time that we split up. Stay safe."

"Yeah, yeah, always." He smiled then turned and pushed his way through the crowds.

Castle Town turned out to be even more incredible than I'd thought. We walked from shop to shop, mostly looking. When we got to the medicine shop, though, Jenai instructed me, "Buy a fairy."

"Why do I need a fairy? I'll always have you with me."

"Fairies are always useful. You never know what could happen." She responded cryptically.

I sighed. "Jenai, those cost fifty rupees. I only have thirty."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I am!" I pulled off my bag and poured the gems out onto the counter. "See, the thirty green gems...and..." My voice trailed off as I noticed a red gem that I hadn't found. Not in the pots, anyway. So how in Hyrule's name did it get there?

"_Oops, sorry..."_ The soldier? But why would he help me?

"That's fifty rupees there, miss. What can I get for you?"

I looked at the shelf where the bottled fairies were. The bottles were filled with green and blue orbs of light-all but one, which contained a purple orb. "The purple fairy, please."

"Ha, you've got a good eye. Got that one just this morning from Granny. Said she had a feeling that someone would see how rare it was, and only they deserved it." He swiped my rupees off the counter, then handed me the bottle. "Thank you for your business, miss."

I nodded and then we left the shop. To my surprise, Link stood outside waiting with a woman who I'd never seen before. But apparently, Jenai had.

"Great Impa. The Village, so I've been told, misses your presence. The people feel safer with you around."

"As do the royal family members. Duty is not something I take lightly." She paused. "This boy told me that you are his companions. He is correct in saying that you will not be able to follow him."

"He's leaving again?" I asked quietly.

"I have to go and find the other spiritual stones. The princess told me that I must guard them and keep them from being used as a tool for evil to gain the upper hand. I will have to travel to the Zoras' Domain and Death Mountain."

"No place for defenseless people. Or those without obvious blessings from the Goddesses." Impa said.

I looked down, my eyes starting to water. But I would not cry in front of her. I had my own destiny to fulfil. A few seconds later, I raised my head and looked her straight in the eyes. "I will accompany my friend as far as Zora's River and Kakariko Village. I can do that much." Her eyes started to glow. When they faded, she looked at me curiously, like there was something really strange about me.

"Very well. You may stay at my home while you are in the village. Any of my people will be able to point it out to you. I suggest, then, that you journey to find the spiritual stone of the Goron people first. Your friend has much she must learn and little time to do so." She stepped back. "I must return to the princess. Good luck." She threw a Deku nut down, and by the time the light disappeared, she was gone. We decided to leave immediately, since her sudden disappearance had caught the attention of the crowd at the Bazaar. I stopped outside the guardhouse to leave a note and made a quick prayer to the Goddesses that the man inside would be safe and prosper. Link tapped me on the shoulder as soon as I'd finished.

"I think that the best plan would be for me to escort you to the village, journey to the Zoras' Domain, and then return. The Sheikah will be able to teach you a little about magic, as well as a little offensive and self-defensive fighting. You'll be better off with a little fighting skill of your own." I wasn't exactly pleased with not being able to go with him, but he and Impa were right. I would be no use to him, myself, or anyone else without learning how to fight. I nodded, and we left quickly to avoid being caught out after dark.

* * *

We reached the village without incident, and someone just leaving the village pointed out Impa's house. It sat conveniently on a cliff face all by itself, and a hill led almost straight up to it. Inside, the walls were plastered with drawings of things that made no sense to any of us. But I was always the kind of person to believe that you never knew what exactly you were going to need later, so I made a decision to memorize each of the papers later on.

"Hello?" We turned to see a boy about fifteen years old standing in the doorway. "Are you the ones the Great One sent here?"

"Yes. I am Izme, this is Link, and these are our fairies, Navi and Jenai."

"According to her, we have much to do. I am called Patan." He came closer and looked me in the eyes. His irises began to glow, just like Impa's had, brightening and fading in a flash. "You have the mind of a magic user. I will teach you archery and magic, with a lesser emphasis on sword technique."

Link looked outside. "Zora's River is a pretty fair distance from here; I should be leaving soon if I want to get there and back quickly."

"I would suggest that you stay here for a while first. There are a few things that you can get while you're here that should aid you greatly."

"Hm...like what?"

"There are a few shops here, gravedigging might be a good idea, and some of the villagers may give rewards if you help them with tasks. Sometimes, even just wandering around a place can result in you finding something."

"You do have a point. Okay, I'll be around. Before I go, I'll make sure to come back here and let you know." He turned to open the door, and I ran up and hugged him as hard as I could.

Something was different this time. In the city when he'd gone to find the princess, I'd been okay. Now, though, I felt like this would be the last time I would see him. For a while. Not permanently. Not yet. I knew that day was coming. Ever since my first night outside the forest, my dreams had been showing me people and places that I didn't recognize-all but two now; the first, meeting Patan; the second, where my fear that Link would leave me forever came true. I didn't know when it would happen, just that it would. But since I couldn't stop it, I was going to try and remember as much about him as I could-and try to show him how much I cared.

"Be safe."

"That goes for you, too." He gave me one last squeeze and was gone.

Patan looked at me strangely. "Fairy Jenai, may I speak with Izme for a moment?"

"Of course." She flew up the stairs and out of sight.

"The Great One told me that when she saw you, your eyes held the look of someone with a sight many people lack. Would you like to tell me what you think that means?"

"Well, lately I've been having dreams that seem to show me things from the future. They started my first night away from the forest."

"Do you remember the first one?"

"A woman dressed in purple came and gave me some awful news. I'm sorry," she said, because he looked like he wanted to know what the news was, "I haven't been able to remember what the news was. But then she put her hand on my forehead and told me that I was chosen for a special destiny, and that I would hear and see things that others couldn't, and have an inner strength that would help the people who needed me."

"I can't say that I can tell you what to expect. In fact, I'd be better off asking you!" He joked. "The Great Impa is never wrong, though. This just proves it." He walked over to the bookshelves. "All the same, we should get started on your training as soon as possible."

"Wait, wait, wait. I want to know what you meant by 'You have the mind of a magic user'."

"You have the ability to learn quickly, and you will not forget things easily. It will be easy for you to learm simple spells, like one I will teach you today that can summon a weapon of yours at your command, to complicated ones, like those that control the flow of time. And you can use them at will without tiring yourself or requiring a staff, wand, or crystal."

"And as for fighting?"

"I will teach you a spell for a transformation today. You will fight me then, and we will practice until you are at an equal level of skill as me."

He opened the book, and within an hour, he'd taught me how to summon my sword, my bow, and a full quiver of arrows, among other things. I also learned a spell that would protect me from most attacks, and one that allowed me to create a bright flash of light that would stun enemies, much like Deku nuts. Another one allowed me to warp short distances, and the last was a simple healing spell. Finally, he shut the book.

"Okay, are you ready for the last one?"

I nodded. He recited a simple sounding verse, and I repeated it. A soft light filled the room, and once it faded, I stood dressed in Sheikah clothing. "You can use this when hand-to-hand combat is necessary. Otherwise it is best to fight in your normal state."

I nodded, then repeated the verse and shifted back.

* * *

Link stopped by only twice in nearly a month, once to tell me that he was going to the Zora's Domain, and the second time to tell me that he was going up Death Mountain. Patan had deemed me ready to go with Link, so I decided to take the opportunity. At his insistence, I took the five magic books he'd used to teach me with, two volumes on Hylian history and legends, and a volume of powerful magic spells from Impa's library, as well as copies of all the papers around her home. I strapped everything into my satchel, waved goodbye, and we set off.

Goron City was much different than I'd imagined it would be. Rock walls jutted straight upward, and there was no greenery anywhere. I found it hard to believe that they actually lived here. But the Gorons were very kind to us, and Link restored Dodongo's cave within only a couple of days. He didn't allow me to go in, but I still kept an eye on him using a spell from one of my books. Darunia gave him the Stone of Fire, and we continued up the mountain to see the Great Fairy. I asked him if I could fight on our way, and he was fine with it. I recited my barrier spell and then killed off all the enemies that came too close. Link was visibly impressed.

"Where do you have to go now?"

"I have to go back to the princess. She and her guardian can tell me what needs to be done then." He glanced at me. "You could probably come with me now. I know you can take care of yourself."

We stopped in Kakariko Village on our way to the castle, because I wanted to talk to Patan. I saw a woman standing by a cucco pen and went over.

"Excuse me? Can you tell me where a boy called Patan lives?"

"Patan? He's probably still in the Great One's home."

I said thank you and we went to Impa's house. Patan opened the door for us almost as soon as we got there.

"I see you are well. That is all I needed to know. Your training from me is over." I nodded.

"I came to say both thank you and goodbye. I don't see you in my dreams, so I will pray for your health and happiness. It's the least I can do."

He laughed. "Goodbye."

I turned and walked back down the hill. "Jenai? Where's Link?"

"I'm not sure. He may have left already."

"Oh! Then we have to hurry."

We rushed towards the path and down the stairs leading to Hyrule Field. As we ran, the sky got darker and darker. Soon, even though it was the middle of the day, it was as dark as night. I started to worry about Link, and ran even faster.

In the distance, I could see what looked like a person on a horse riding towards me. Something told me it was not a good idea to let them see me. I darted into the trees as the figure came closer.

I had moved just in time. Not ten seconds later, a man came by. His horse was the least evil thing about him, a sleek coal black. The rider was an evil looking man with an olive complexion and bright red hair. But his eyes...his eyes were a dull, lifeless black, and they were searching for something. He started so look my way and I panicked. He hadn't seen me, but he had seen Jenai. "You there! Fairy!" Jenai, I knew, wanted to fly into the trees and save herself. But that would lead him directly to me. I started to move from behind the tree, but Jenai started fluttering her wings rapidly, and I knew she didn't want me to move. So I cast my barrier spell around her and prayed.

"Yes?"

"A girl and a woman on a white horse. Did you see them?"

"No."

"Ha, so you think that you can protect them, too! Well, then, I'll just have to make an example of you, like I did that kid!" A glowing yellow ball formed in his hand. "You won't make a fool of me!" The ball launched from his hand and flew towards Jenai. I was holding the barrier as strong as I could, but unless she moved, I wasn't sure what good it would do. The ball slammed into the shield I'd created, flinging sparks everywhere. I could tell it was starting to weaken, and I couldn't hold it much longer. Seconds later, it blasted through my shield and right into Jenai. I clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my scream, and tears started to roll down my face. The ball dissappeared, and I watched, frozen, as Jenai's soothing blue light faded and finally went out. I heard a soft thump as she fell on the grass.

The man didn't even care. "Worthless fairy." He kicked his horse into a gallop and rode in the opposite direction.

As soon as he left, the clouds vanished and the sky lit up. I ran over and scooped up Jenai's lifeless body and held it close, crying. Through my tears, I looked out at the field to see a green figure on the ground near the town-not moving.

Link!

I dashed to him and quickly recited a healing spell. After a few moments, his eyes fluttered open. "Izme?" He sat up. "That man...are you okay?" I started to cry again and opened my cupped hands. "Oh, no..." he breathed. "I'm so sorry, Iz..."

"Jenai...why did she always have to be right?" I continued crying, knowing what was going to happen. I laid her on the grass, in the sunlight. Her body faded away into glittering dust, that carried on the breeze back towards the forest.

"He came and saw Jenai. I tried to save her...but my shield wasn't strong enough. He killed her." Link scooted over and held me until I couldn't cry anymore.

* * *

The sky was starting to darken before I finally spoke.

"What happened to you?"

"The gates were closed, which is unusual, so I went to look," he explained. "I reached the gates, and the sky started to darken. Then all of a sudden, they opened, and the princess and her guardian rode by on a horse. The princess tossed something back; I think it landed in the water. Anyway, a minute or so after, a Gerudo man on a black horse rode the same way and asked me if I'd seen them. I recognized him as a man that the princess had warned me about, and I wasn't going to tell him where she was. So he summoned a ball of energy and flung it at me. That's all I remember." He ran to the river. "There it is!" Without hesitating, he immediately dove in and fished out a blue ocarina. "This is it! The Ocarina of Time! Izme, I have to go." He pulled himself up onto the riverbank.

"No! I'm going with you! You're all I have now..."

He sighed. "I'm sorry."

"You promised me! You promised Jenai!"

The gates started to close, but he managed to slip inside.

"You'll see me again, Iz."

I knew I wasn't going to make it. So I watched as the gates closed with a thud that echoed around the field.

Now I was truly alone.

* * *

**See? Lots and lots. Those of you who have played OoT will definitely recognize many of the scenes.**

**Sorry if the end seemed a bit rushed, you'll see why it ended like that in Izme's next chapter.  
**

**I'm seeing a ton of hits, which is fantastic! But please review! I'm posting to not only get my work out, but also because I would like to improve my writing! You help me by telling me what you like as well as what I can change and improve!  
**

**'Til next chapter,  
Rya Prower  
**


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